Car Talk, The Neon of Dorian Gray, April 27, 2013

This week on Car Talk, Ian's Neon has discovered the Fountain of Youth. When the car goes over 50 MPH, the odometer begins running backwards. Can Tom and Ray figure out what's going on before the car drives itself all the way back to the assembly plant? Elsewhere, automotive history is made in Oregon, as Jim becomes the first person ever to feel guilty about selling a used car that's performing too well for its new owner; on Stump the Chumps, we find out Dana's jerking Jetta was really due to the dreaded, "Shmutz on the Clutch"; and Tom and Ray finally get judged by their peers, as an 8th grade class reviews our show. Could Roger Ebert have topped, "I think the show is a good idea because people like listening to idiots"? All this, and lots more, this week on Car Talk.

The Second Best of Car Talk: More Used Calls From Click and Clack

Fresh out of the Dewey, Cheetham, and Howe audio dumpster, our Second Best of Car Talk features some of the least-lousy calls we've ever aired! Seriously, we've had some pretty darned wacko calls, from "Clinton Sends Vowels to Bosnia" to "Gail, the Toll-gate Fugitive", and, our personal favorite, the tale of our German pal Max and his little Schnauzer.

The Best of Car Talk, Volume One

We know, we know, Best of Car Talk is probably Webster's working definition for "oxymoron". But you might enjoy some of these highlights from our first eight years of radio shows. Hear some callers who really broke us up, including "Eggs Prestone", "The Day Ole Moses Blew Lunch", and "Bad Hair Days".

Car Talk, Once Upon a Car Fire: The Greatest Stories Ever Told

Here's one way to think about Tom and Ray's outlook on life. Imagine they're on a barge, floating down the river of life. They're lounging on deck chairs near the bow, drinking cappuccinos. Okay, now they sail by a life event of some kind. Doesn't matter what it is.

Car Talk: Calls About Animals and Cars

This brand-new collection rounds up some of our all-time favorite calls about animals and cars -- like Sidney, whose lunch disappeared in the air vents (and then died there!); Richard and his goat problem; and the dog who likes to ride on top of the truck cab. We've also included the "Andy Letter," possibly the greatest letter ever received at Car Talk Plaza, along with the phone call that precipitated it -- a call about electric brakes on a cattle trailer.

Car Talk: Men are from GM, Women are from Ford

Why is it that so many of our calls start out talking about, say, differentials or power steering, but wind up discussing men, women, devious ploys of deception, and power trips? Simple. To quote our producer, Dougie Berman: "A car is just a big inanimate object through which we reveal ourselves and our true personalities. Tangled up with cars are the issues of money, power, independence, self-image, confidence, generosity, and honesty, just to name a few." We couldn't have said it better, if at all.

Car Talk: Why You Should Never Listen to Your Father When it Comes to Cars

Car Talk Fact: 98 percent of misinformation in the world comes from fathers (the other 2 percent comes from us). Throughout history, when a child asks a father a question, the father feels he must give the child an answer. Even if he doesn't know what the answer is (which, as we said, is the case 98 percent of the time).

Car Talk: Maternal Combustion (Calls about Moms and Cars)

Moms have served admirably in the minivan wars, negotiated conflicting advice between husbands and fathers, and even extracted sticky sippy cups from under countless seats. Tom and Ray Magliozzi, a.k.a. Click and Clack, the Tappet Brothers, answer calls about - and from - mothers, answering questions and giving advice on cars, families, and cutting the apron strings.

The Snarkout Boys and the Avocado of Death

Combine a crime, a criminal, a fat man in a fez, and a guy named "Chicken Man", and you get a zany sci-fi adventure that defies gravity to bring you a mind-boggling feast. As Wizard of Comedy Daniel M. Pinkwater transports the Snarkout Boys and the Rat through the tunnel under North Aufzoo Street to the warmth of Beanbenders, you'll meet some strange characters and learn much about the versatile avocado.

You're wasting time listening to the standard advice about learning math. You can't continue with "random acts of learning" as you study simple math, calculus and statistics formulas - at least not for long. The truth is that learning math and remembering numbers can be incredibly simple. You just need to know how.

The seven chakras-or spinning "wheels" of energy located along the spine-offer a powerful system for personal transformation. If you want to develop your intuition, communicate more clearly, or step into your power, join Anodea Judith on Chakras: A Beginner's Guide to Healing with Your Body's Energy Centers. In two sessions, you will learn how you can tap into your energetic system to improve your physical, mental and spiritual well-being.

Publisher's Summary

This week on Car Talk, Ian's Neon has discovered the Fountain of Youth. When the car goes over 50 MPH, the odometer begins running backwards. Can Tom and Ray figure out what's going on before the car drives itself all the way back to the assembly plant?

Elsewhere, automotive history is made in Oregon, as Jim becomes the first person ever to feel guilty about selling a used car that's performing too well for its new owner; on Stump the Chumps, we find out Dana's jerking Jetta was really due to the dreaded, "Shmutz on the Clutch"; and Tom and Ray finally get judged by their peers, as an 8th grade class reviews our show. Could Roger Ebert have topped, "I think the show is a good idea because people like listening to idiots"? All this, and lots more, this week on Car Talk. [Broadcast Date: April 27, 2013]

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